Crimson Ride
by Fighting-this-War
Summary: Rating for mild swearing. Takes place somewhere in Lost World, slightly AU!
1. Default Chapter

Running through the undergrowth as fast as she could, Sarah Harding swatted back a branch that was threatening her. She approached the trailer in a short space of time, but hesitated when she reached out for the door handle, twisting it slowly. When she pulled the trailer door open, she came face to face with Ian, who did not look happy at all.

"**What did I say Sarah?" he asked grimly and she looked at him, suddenly lost.**

"**About what?" she asked, sliding past him so she could get inside the vehicle.**

"**About t-rex' nests." He simply told her and she sighed; someone must have told him.**

"**I don't know what you're-" she began but he cut her off.**

"**You know perfectly well what I'm talking about." He told her, angrily slamming the trailer door so they were alone and undisturbed. "I told you that I would stay here with you provided you go nowhere near any carnivore's nests." **

"**Well they did talk me into it, I did protest." She trailed off.**

"**Not by the sounds of what I've been told." He looked down, too angry to look at her.**

"**How am I supposed to study the neutering habits of the T-rex if you've got a permanent harness on me?" Her attitude almost completely changed.**

"**I just want you to be safe! You've never been here; you don't know what it's like! I do." He exclaimed and she sighed.**

"**Oh yeah, macho man." She rolled her eyes. "What is it you're trying to prove Ian?" She tilted her head.**

"**I'm not trying to prove anything." He lowered the tone of his voice and raised a hand to rub his neck.**

"**Could've fooled me." She muttered as she turned to face the map, obviously hurt.**

"**Well if you wanna risk your life just so you can get some conclusive evidence, go ahead, just don't drag me with you." He snapped before turning on his heel to leave the trailer via the door. She followed him.**

"**Hey!" she yelled and he turned only briefly to look at her.**

"**What?" he called, anger once again boiling up inside of him.**

"**What was that supposed to mean?" She asked, confused and frustrated.**

"**It means, I've tried to protect you, keep you safe, but you just wanna live on the dangerous side, but I'm not prepared to get myself killed for someone who doesn't even want me help." He explained in a rather harsh tone.**

"**Fine, if that's the way you want it, have it, and just don't expect me to be home when we get back." She swallowed hard, trying to stop her voice from shaking.**

**This statement shocked Ian, and the remaining team members from both teams that were listening, into silence.**

"**Sarah..." Ian began but she shook her head.**

"**No, if you can't accept that I want to do things as well, then I don't think this is gonna work out." She tried to tell him strongly, but even he could hear the unsteady shaking in her voice.**

**He didn't say anything; instead he began to walk away, leaving her and her ultimatum alone to hang in the air. Ok, she had hoped he would say he would allow her to be around the carnivores, but this was not something she expected. Dieter watched her from his little spot in the bushes, afraid to move for he had already been attacked once. But when he saw her turn to look at him, he got up, moving in excessive speed towards her.**

"**Hey Dr Harding." He slimily greeted and she looked at him, disgust crossing her face.**

"**Hello Dieter." She grumbled and was unaware of his intentions.**

"**I heard your little 'tiff' with Dr Malcolm, I wanted to make sure you were ok." Dieter told her, his voice sluggish and slurred.**

"**I'm perfectly fine thank you." She told him in a harsh but polite tone.**

"**but if you're single now then maybe-" He began but she held up a hand.**

"**I don't think so, I'm sorry." She told him, taking this as her cue and began to walk away, unnerved by everyone's sudden screaming.**


	2. Moonlight Threshold

**Moonlight Threshold.**

**Ian looked around as people began to run past him, screaming louder and louder, their screams suddenly interrupted by the sound of a carnivore's roar.**

**He looked up in fright as the trees began to rustle, parting to show the brilliant crafted T-rex, looking elegant in the shady moonlight.**

**It was then brought to his attention, the sound of a female's frantic screaming, and he knew full well that Sarah was the only female on the trip, thus he began to wonder if she was in trouble.**

**Sarah crouched low to the ground, trying to free herself from the piece of barbed wire that someone had foolishly put there. She turned around to see everyone running away screaming, she began to wonder why, when suddenly she heard it, the sound of not one, but two t-rex adults roaring with anger and at this point she began to scream as it came strolling towards her.**

**Ian looked around but couldn't see Sarah anywhere, it wasn't until his eyes fell upon the tree log, did he begin to see the familiar red headed woman. He began to run towards her, limping furiously as he did so, but he didn't care. The t-rex was quickly approaching Sarah and she was beginning to panic by the time he reached her.**

"**Come on!" he called to her, holding out his hand, just as she pulled off her jacket, leaving it attached to the barbed wire. Her hand slotted into his hand as they began to run towards the large group of people. When they finally dived into the little out cove that was shielded by the waterfall, she finally managed to catch her breath as Ian draped his arm around her shoulders lightly.**

**She was wrong about Ian and she knew it.**

**After all they had just been through, Sarah felt tears sting her eyes and she turned to Ian, lying her head on his shoulder as his arms surrounded her in protection and she began to sob.**

**When everyone had calmed down, they set out once again back to their camp to salvage anything that may be useful, but as they walked, Ian noticed Sarah was hanging back, hesitating to go back to the place where they had spent some of the night.**

"**You ok?" he asked, falling into step with her.**

"**Mmhm." She hummed, swallowing the feeling of nausea that was building up inside of her.**

"**I just wanna say sorry, I didn't mean to be so protective I just want you to be ok and come back home with me alive." He apologized for his earlier behaviour and she felt a tear run down her cheek, hoping he wouldn't see it; she turned her head to the side. "I know I'm such an ass."**

"**You're not an ass." She sniffed.**

"**I think we all need to sit down and calm ourselves!" Roland shouted over everyone and they almost all sat down immediately like a Mexican wave.**

**Sarah flopped to the ground exhausted, cowering her head in her arms, shivering violently as a cold wind rushed over the atmosphere. She wished that she had her jacket, at least then she'd have an ounce of protection from the wind. The word protection came to mind again, Ian wanted to protect her but she pushed it back in his face, he had only wanted to keep her safe, because he loved her. She delved deeper into her thoughts when she thought back to the stories Ian had told her about Isla Nublar, but was brought out of her thoughts by the touch of a heavy jacket being wrapped around her, and Ian's chirpy but concerned face looking down on her.**

"**You looked cold." He mumbled and she forced a small smile.**

"**Thanks." She replied softly as he sat beside her attentively.**

**Darkness was now fully descended and it was making people agitated, frightened and irritated but Ian knew what was coming, he was calmish. Sarah looked at him as best as she could in the hazy fog of moonlight that lit up his face almost too well.**

**Neither said anything until he silently asked for her permission to hold her close to him, an invitation that she accepted. She leaned into him as he slipped his arm around her waist, trying once again to protect her from the terror and horror that they had already been through, and no doubt the horror they were still going to go through. She sat silently, uncomfortably numb as she reflected on what would possibly be about to happen. This thought depressed her and she felt a wave a nausea wash over again, mixed with stinging tears as she let out a suppressed cry, alarming Ian.**

"**Hey, come on." He whispered as he pulled her closer to him, feeling the first drops of rain hit his nose; there would be a downpour soon. Hoping his words would comfort her, he sheltered her from the rain, trying to protect her from everything, but her heaving sobs told him otherwise. She slipped her arms around his neck and pulled them closer together, her head not leaving the comfort of his shoulder whilst she did this.**

"**I think we should get moving!" nick announced, he had obviously felt the rain also and wanted to be out of here before a storm was conjured up.**

"**Come on Sarah, we gotta get moving." Ian softly told her and she stood up, swaying gently side to side as she did so. He took her hand in his as the group once again began to move.**


	3. Closer To A NeverEnding Truth

**Closer to a never-ending truth**

**(a little teaser to keep ya going)**

**They arrived at their old base camp a few minutes later, shocked at the state of it.**

"**I don't think there is anything worth salvaging do you?" Rolland asked several people that were huddled around him in a group.**

"**I never should have come here." Sarah mumbled, looking down at the ground, ashamed at her earlier angry outburst. Ian didn't say anything; instead he just rubbed the top of her arm and kissed the side of her head.**

"**Everything's gonna be ok." He finally whispered and she looked at him.**

"**Do you really think so?" Someone interrupted their private conversation and Ian just glared at them.**

"**Do you mind?" he asked the man who quickly apologized and walked away, leaving the pair alone once more.**

"**Shouldn't we help?" Sarah asked in an absent-minded manner.**

"**No, they can work this out themselves." He began to say but was cut off by the sound of blood chilling, screaming roar from the undergrowth and Sarah looked up alarmed.**

"**Not again!" she cried looking at the other people, who obviously had no idea what to do in that situation even though they were in it earlier.**

"**We need to leave this island!! NOW!" Ian stood up and yelled, but only nick, Carter, Rolland, Dieter and 3 or 4 others listened to him.**

"**There is a control unit southwest of this location, we need to get to it!" Ludlow announced and Nick nodded.**

"**Have you got a map?" he asked and Ludlow nodded as he pulled a piece of card out of his bag.**

**Sarah looked up as the trees rustled and parted heavily, revealing once again the same T-rex that attacked them earlier. This time it came charging towards them, stomping on a few men before it reached its kill. It was at that point the small group of people began to run, but dieter got somehow left behind, and the male t-rex decided this would be his meal; so with one sharp snap of it's jaws, dieter was suspended in mid air, his arm firmly in the animal's teeth.**

**Ian stopped for a minute, thinking this would be their chance to get away, the animal had hunted and eaten, they only hunt when hungry, but his eyes widened when it came hurtling at full speed towards them. He began to run, but noticed that Sarah was lagging slightly, so he stopped and waited for her to catch up with him and without warning he lifted her into his arms and began to carry her.**

**In the darkness, he didn't see the tree root; therefore he tripped over it and went flying to the floor, sliding down a crevice, landing on top of Sarah, who only coughed.**


	4. Til Death Do Us Part

**Til death depart us.**

"**Are you ok?" he asked and she nodded as he got up, about to offer her a hand when they both looked up as they heard the sound of an object coming down the small shoot that they had only fallen through a few minutes ago. She screamed louder than she had ever screamed when she came face to face with a mangled body, blood creating a pool around the corpse and her. Ian stood in shock as he lowered his body to the ground, taking a closer look at the disembowelled corpse.**

"**It's Carter." He informed her as she tried to squirm away from Carter's body.**

"**I don't give a shit, get it away from me!!" she shrieked and he obliged, pulling her up and away from the man's body.**

"**What about Nick?" Ian subconsciously asked himself. "We have to get nick and the others before leaving this island." He spoke more to her this time.**

"**They're probably off this island already!!" she cried and he knew that was a possibility. **

"**IAN! SARAH!" a man yelled and they both looked up to see Nick's usually chirpy face looking down on them.**

"**Where's Rolland, Peter, the rest?" Ian called up, feeling his hand being taken by Sarah as he watched the expression on the young man's face change.**

"**Rolland and one of the others went to the find the control tower, said they'd get help, the other's, they didn't make it." Nick informed them and Ian sighed in disbelief.**

"**Ajay?" He dared to question.**

"**Dead." Nick felt tears sting his eyes.**

**Ian was about to speak when the glare of a light shone down on them, followed by the distinct sound of a chopper. Both Sarah and Ian sighed with relief as they began to climb up the small crevice. Sarah could have cried with relief as her hand grasped Nick's and he pulled her up allowing her to run to the chopper and wait for the rest. She immediately was ushered to the chopper and made to get in beside Rolland and a man who she hadn't really met before, Dr Johnson.**

**She began to get worried when Nick emerged up the above the low ground minus Ian. Her fears only increased when he slid open the door, sliding in before shutting the door again. **

"**GO!" Nick ordered and looked at Sarah with a look of sympathy on his face.**

"**Wait no!! Nick, where's Ian??" she cried frantically, getting up to look at the area they were leaving.**

"**He fell and was unconscious, there was no way both of us would have made it out alive." He told her and she felt her breath stop in her throat.**

"**No..." she breathed.**

"**I'm so sorry Sarah." Nick told her, a look of true sympathy was on his face and she felt tears sting her green eyes.**

"**No fucking way! What the fuck am I supposed to do without him?" she sobbed, panic truly taking over her. "What am I supposed to say to Kelly?"**

"**I don't know Sarah." Nick told her softly.**

"**I'm very sorry Dr Harding." Rolland patted her arm gently, as did Dr Johnson.**

"**Me too Dr Harding."**

"**Don't be sorry, you're not the one's who have to live the rest of your life without the person you love." She spoke between gritted teeth as the chopper took off.**


	5. Alternative Ending

**Alternative Ending.**

"**Are you ok?" he asked and she nodded as he got up, about to offer her a hand when they both looked up as they heard the sound of an object coming down the small shoot that they had only fallen through a few minutes ago. She screamed louder than she had ever screamed when she came face to face with a mangled body, blood creating a pool around the corpse and her. Ian stood in shock as he lowered his body to the ground, taking a closer look at the disembowelled corpse.**

"**It's Carter." He informed her as she tried to squirm away from Carter's body.**

"**I don't give a shit, get it away from me!!" she shrieked and he obliged, pulling her up and away from the man's body.**

"**What about Nick?" Ian subconsciously asked himself. "We have to get nick and the others before leaving this island." He spoke more to her this time.**

"**They're probably off this island already!!" she cried and he knew that was a possibility. **

"**IAN! SARAH!" a man yelled and they both looked up to see Nick's usually chirpy face looking down on them.**

"**Where's Rolland, Peter, the rest?" Ian called up, feeling his hand being taken by Sarah as he watched the expression on the young man's face change.**

"**Rolland and one of the others went to the find the control tower, said they'd get help, the other's, they didn't make it." Nick informed them and Ian sighed in disbelief.**

"**Ajay?" He dared to question.**

"**Dead." Nick felt tears sting his eyes.**

**Ian was about to speak when the glare of a light shone down on them, followed by the distinct sound of a chopper. Both Sarah and Ian sighed with relief as they began to climb up the small crevice. Sarah could have cried with relief as her hand grasped Nick's and he pulled her half the way up.**

**Sarah lifted herself up onto the steady ground, and whilst assisted by nick, she began to help Ian up.**

"**Come on baby." She willed as he finally reached up and his hand touched hers.**

**When he was also standing on steady ground, he held her body against his tightly, vowing to never let her go again.**

"**COME ON!!" the pilot shouted to them, as Ian and Sarah finally broke apart.**

"**I'm so glad you're ok!" Sarah breathed to Ian as they ran the short distance to the aircraft.**

**Nick went up first and threw down a rope, which Sarah grabbed hold of and began to climb, shortly followed by Ian.**

"**GO!" Ian ordered the pilot before slumping lazily against the seat, his head pressed against the cool metal panel behind him and his eyes were closed. As the chopper took off, Sarah sighed and moved closer to Ian, allowing his arm to drape around her shoulders and he allowed her to lay her head on his shoulder, having had enough, she closed her eyes and exhaled deeply as she sank into Ian's warmth.**

**Nick who sat attentively on the opposite seat, looked out of the window at the deathly destruction that had taken place below them, but because it was dark, he couldn't see much anyway so he leaned back into his seat.**

"**I'm sorry bout Ajay, Rolland." He spoke softly to the older man who was seated one man away from him.**

"**Not as sorry as I am." Rolland muttered.**

**THE END.**


End file.
